Foundations of Fund Raising A Crash Course on the Basics of Raising Money Laurie Jarrett Rogers A Crash Course on the Basics of Raising Money Laurie Jarrett Rogers

Money is congealed energy and releasing it releases life’s possibilities. - Joseph Campbell Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving. - Hank Rosso

What is Fundraising First word that comes to mind!

…Not just asking for money… FR is a set of strategies carried out continuously and systematically: to bring resources to your agency to build long-term relationships

Pyramid of Giving Estate or Planned Giving Major Giving Annual Giving Commitment Growth Contact From James M. Greenfield, Fund-Raising: Evaluating and Managing the Fund Development Process, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Investment Involvement Interest Information Identification

Fund Raising Terms to Know and Use with Ease! Annual fund/ Operating support/ Unrestricted gift Program Support/Restricted Gift Capital Campaign Endowment Bequest/Planned Gift Challenge Grant/Matching Grant Major Gift

WHY? (hint: You don ’ t exist to raise $$. Why are you in business?)

Learn….. TED Talk with Simon Sinek aders_inspire_action

To raise funds, we must have… VISION What is our vision? What would we like healthcare for Virginia’s children to become so that the need for FAMIS would disappear? (This articulates the future: what will the world look like if there are NO barriers to our work?)

To raise funds, we must have… MISSION What is our Mission? What specifically are we going to do to work toward that vision? (What does this agency do right now? What is its essence, purpose?)

Values : How do you want to act, consistent with mission, along the path to achieve our vision? i.e., integrity, honesty, openness, creativity, excellence, cooperation, etc.

To raise funds, we must have… Strategic Plan How will we convert our vision and mission into time limited goals and objectives?

Strategic Plan Absolutely key to have one! Working document of your organization that lays out specific goals, outcomes, objectives, timetables and benchmarks. Reflects intentional, creative planning SWOT analysis 4-6 months, NOT a weekend! Emerge with a set of BHAGs

SP Cont’d…. Henry Ford: “If you don’t plan for your future, you won’t have one. If you fail to plan, then plan to fail. Walt Disney: It’s kind of fun to do the impossible….

To raise funds, we must have… Development Plan and Time Line What are our capital, operating and program expenses? Where/when/how will we get the funds? Who will do the work? Recommended reading: “Creating a Fund Development Plan that Produces Ownership and Results” at simonejoyaux.com

Organizational Goals How much more? How many more face-to-face calls How will you “touch” your donors this year? What are your BHAGs

How Much Money are you Raising?

Class Exercise: “What if we disappeared tonight?”

Think like a Buddhist…. …Sell Like A Rock Star

People like to buy; they don’t like to be sold People buy what they need from those who understand what they want People buy with their hearts and justify it with their minds

Storytelling! “Every time someone donates to a good cause, they’re buying a story that is worth more than the amount they donated.” - Seth Godin

Elevator Pitch

Compare to National Giving Statistics

At its heart, fundraising is about relationships.

So……. Between now and December 31, what is ONE thing you are willing to do from the 6 Rs Cycle that will help get you to your agency’s goal?

Development = Relationships The number one rule about fund raising is: people give to people. To get the gift, to keep the gift, to get the gift repeated is all about the relationship. Fundraising is relational, NOT transactional

Fundraising Basics People give to people…because they want to and because they are asked! People give to opportunities and success -- not distress FR is a process, NOT an event

Dramatic Change in the non- profit sector: Attitude of donors Role of donors Role of non-profits

Becoming More Sophisticated… Panic reactions to deficits Limited, short-term objectives Stop gap measures Negotiate from weakness “Help,” “Need,” “Assist” Car washes, bazaars, candy drives Commitment by CEO and board to raise $$$ Strategic planning Sound business mgt. Negotiate from strength “Investment,” “Goals,” “Vision” Proposals to fdns., corps., endowments, annual funds, bequests.

Increased scrutiny of non-profits Political scrutiny to ensure no agendas (post-9/11 world) Fallout from Enron, WorldCom and Congress’s reaction Availability of info on the internet. Political scrutiny to ensure no agendas (post-9/11 world) Fallout from Enron, WorldCom and Congress’s reaction Availability of info on the internet.

Organized Office Organized and efficient = effective Can’t go out on appointments if you don’t know who you are going to or what you will say when you get there.

Budget How much do your programs cost How much are you responsible for raising for each program? How much do you expect to spend on FR?

Programs Mission driven (and of course reflect MVV) Staff available to carry them out Partnering with others? Evaluation components in place Outcomes CLEAR Do you have the passion?

Assoc. of Fundraising Professionals Select the right person, To ask the right question, At the right time, For the right amount, In the right way, For the right reason.

An Awesome Team: Board, Staff, Volunteers -Offer people opportunities to do great things -Challenge and inspire them -Involve them in activities that make life better now and in future generations

The Board  Legally responsible for financial health of the organization.  Keep the org on mission  Must support the organization with cash gift each year.  Legally responsible for financial health of the organization.  Keep the org on mission  Must support the organization with cash gift each year.

Volunteers  Essential ingredient in the FR mix.  Each well-trained volunteer becomes an effective advocate for you  Development officer cannot do this job alone, must have volunteer resources  Create opportunities for FUN as well as work  Include volunteers in all your events  Say thank you  Have training sessions, make them comfortable in this role

Cultivating Future Leaders “Volunteer leadership development is about the most important thing an organization does. If you are not developing leaders, then you are not building the organization.” (Bobo. Kendall, & Max, Organizing for Social Change, 1996)

The rule used to be: say thank you seven times. Now: say thank you once and tell them what you did with the $$ six other times. This applies to volunteers and donors.

 Very impt to provide written record of who supports you  Respect requests for anonymity  Another opportunity to remind people who you are, what you do, who you serve.  Gift clubs

Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, For as long as you ever can. (John Wesley) Good Luck…